In my Sober Second Thoughts column following the Galaxy game I made the claim that Toronto FC was now the most popular soccer team in Toronto.
It’s not a statement that everyone would agree with. Even in a place like T.O., where acceptance to MLS is widespread, there remains a great deal of so-called Eurosnobs – “fans” that will only accept the game as played at its highest level.
Unsatisfied with his (and it’s almost always a “his”) personal choice, the Eurosnob needs to also judge and deride the fan that does like the local product. To the Eurosnob, liking TFC and MLS is evidence that said fan lacks sophistication. They’re “stupid” for “wasting their time” watching a “pub league”
Forget that it is normal throughout the world to support both your local team as well as a major club. To the Eurosnob, that doesn’t matter. Only his misguided opinion does.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
I digress. The question of whether my claim is true is an interesting one. Although I don’t for a second think that TFC’s support has surpassed the overall support for all major clubs (i.e. there are more soccer fans in the city that consider a European or South American team as the favourite club than there are fans that consider TFC to be their first club)., I do feel that there is now no single club with more support.
There may be a lot of Liverpool fans in Scallywags on a Saturday morning, or United fans at Main Event, but individually neither fan base matches that of TFC’s.
Do you agree? Has the acceptance of TFC reached that point yet? Is it the same for the Whitecaps in Vancouver now? Let me know in the comments.